Determinative: meaning, definitions and examples
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determinative
[ dɪˈtɜːrmɪnətɪv ]
grammar term
A determinative is a word or expression that helps specify the reference of a noun or noun phrase by providing information about which referent is intended. This can include articles, demonstratives, and possessives, which clarify the meaning of the nouns they accompany.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The 'the' in 'the cat' is a determinative.
- In 'my book', 'my' serves as a determinative.
- Demonstratives like 'this' and 'that' function as determinatives.
Translations
Translations of the word "determinative" in other languages:
🇵🇹 determinativo
🇮🇳 निर्धारण
🇩🇪 determinativ
🇮🇩 determinatif
🇺🇦 детермінатив
🇵🇱 determinatywny
🇯🇵 決定的な
🇫🇷 déterminatif
🇪🇸 determinativo
🇹🇷 belirleyici
🇰🇷 결정적
🇸🇦 محدد
🇨🇿 určující
🇸🇰 určujúci
🇨🇳 决定性
🇸🇮 določilni
🇮🇸 ákveðandi
🇰🇿 анықтаушы
🇬🇪 გამოკვეთილი
🇦🇿 müəyyənləşdirici
🇲🇽 determinativo
Etymology
The word 'determinative' derives from the Latin word 'determinativus', which is rooted in 'determinare', meaning 'to determine or limit'. In English, its usage can be traced back to the early 20th century when linguistic studies began to categorize words based on their functions and roles in sentences. Initially, the term was used mainly in specialized grammatical contexts, particularly in the field of linguistics. Over time, with the rise of structuralism and generative grammar, the definition and understanding of determinatives expanded to include a broader range of functions in specifying nouns. Today, it is a key concept in understanding grammar and syntax, particularly in the analysis of sentence structure across various languages.